Reading this thread, and not commenting on the original poster, but the subject matter.............
This is why we have ended up in the motorcycling world with enforced stages of progression. "When I were a boy"
you started on a Moped, or if you were "lucky" a Fizzie. You then progressed to a 250, then a 500 before reaching the dizzy heights of a 750. This "restraint" was mainly a financially enforced one. As bikes became more powerful, and relatively cheaper, the carnage increased and getting a motorcycle licence has become progressively more difficult/more time consuming/more hassle.
We now have a "fastrack" route called Direct Access Scheme (DAS). Take a one week course and then ride what you like. You can cram the theory but there is NO substitute for practical experience. I know the "chicken & egg" spring to mind, but if you saw some of the riders I do who have passed the ministry test......you'd be very afraid.
So what has this got to do with a 17 year old in a 1.8
VTEC Honda? Surely the time has come for similar "restrictions" to be put in place so that Johnny CAN'T drive daddy's Porche (or more likely "hot" company car) without some lmeasured evel of experience.
I realise there will always be some who get around the rules or just ignore them completely, but some level of retraint NEEDS to be bought about by some means.
Finally everybody can benifit from further learning after the ministry test. Official instructors run "Pass Plus" while many organisations (IAM, ROSPA etc) run local groups on a volunatry basis. Join one you never know you may enjoy it, Most of the bike groups have thrown out the "pipe and slippers" years ago, and the car groups are gradually improving